Following a unanimous Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners’ vote to approve the 2016 township budget, a township resident with a single-unit dwelling billed by the township for water and sewer services can expect to pay an increase of $222.79 in taxes and utilities next year. That amounts to $18.57 per month.

Township commissioners voted 5-0 at the Dec. 17 Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners meeting to adopt the 2016 budget with expenditures of $8,187,600. Commissioner Robert Martucci, Jr. made the motion, seconded by Commissioner Vice President Debra Brinton.

Commissioners voted 5-0 to set the 2016 budget rates and appropriations. Martucci made the motion, seconded by Commissioner James Seagreaves.

A last-minute hike in the water rate, from $5.80 to $5.90 per 1,000 gallons was approved because of an increase in Lehigh County Authority water rates. Martucci made the motion, seconded by Seagreaves.

Based on the township average assessment of $207,817, with the millage increase of 0.36412 mills bringing the new millage to 1.97515, a resident will pay $410.47 in 2016 township real estate taxes, an increase of $75.67 over taxes paid in 2015, or a 22.6 percent, annual increase, which is $6.31 per month on average for each property owner.

Based on the average quarterly consumption of 20,000 gallons of water for a unit and the new rate of $5.90 per 1,000 gallons per quarter, a residential township water customer will pay $472 a year for 80,000 gallons of water in 2016. This is an increase of $86.40 over the 2015 rate. It’s up from $4.87 per 1,000 gallons per quarter in 2015.

Based on the $5.80 per 1,000 gallons per quarter, the water hike represented an estimated 18 percent increase in water rates. As of deadline for The Press, the new percentage of increase based on the $5.90 per 1,000 gallons per quarter was not available.

Township customers who receive sanitary sewer service will pay a new rate of $63 per residential unit per quarterly billing period in 2016, which for a township residential sewer customer with a single dwelling unit is $252 for 2016. This is an increase of $60.72 over 2015 rates paid. It represents a 35 percent increase in sewer rates. The quarterly sewer rate was $47.87 in 2015.

Owners of nonresidential improved properties who receive sanitary sewer service will pay $69.30 per quarterly billing period per unit or $277.20 in 2016. The quarterly sewer rate was $52.60 in 2015.

This brings the total increase for the average township resident with a single-unit dwelling billed by the township for water and sewer services to $222.79 for taxes and utilities in 2016 or $18.57 a month.

Based on the township average assessed property value of $207,817 and the 2015 annual millage of 1.61103, township taxes for 2015 would have been $334.80.

The township earned income tax of 1 percent and the 1 percent deed transfer tax remain unchanged for 2016.

The 2016 budget pays for:

Five new personnel (two police officers and three public works employees),

Township parks projects,

Two new police vehicles and

A new public works dump truck and mower.

The township plans to borrow $6,410,000, which includes refinancing $2,045,000 of existing township debt.

Commissioners voted 5-0 to hire Concord Public Finance as consultant for the 2016 borrowing. Brinton made the motion, seconded by Martucci.

The amount paid to Concord is to not exceed $22,500. A representative of Concord may attend the Jan. 14 or 28, 2016 township meeting to brief commissioners about the options.

“They will send out an RFP [Request For Proposals] to see if a bond or bank loan would be best,” Salisbury Township Director of Finance and Acting Township Manager Cathy Bonaskiewich said.

The township refinancing will fund:

The Police Safety Annex Building, East Emmaus Avenue and Honeysuckle Road: $480,000;

Township-wide water meter replacement, several water line replacement projects (2016 to 2018): $2,835,000, and

Interceptor replacement, repairs-rehab of pump stations and equipment, ongoing infiltration and inflow projects: $1,050,000.

The 2016 total township budget is $14,076,790, composed of the following fund categories:

General Fund: $8,187,600, which is up from the 2015 township general fund budget of $7,582,820;

Fire Fund: $390,180;

Library Fund: $81,750;

Water Fund: $1,629,700;

Sewer Fund: $1,781,600;

Refuse & Recycling Fund: $1,403,660;

Debt Fund: $177,400 and

Highway Aid Fund: $424,900.

There are 3,191 township customers of Lehigh County Authority, which purchased the Allentown Water Authority. There are 4,372 township sewer service customers.

Bonaskiewich said she was notified at a Lehigh County Authority meeting Dec. 16 of the LCA water rate increase of 12 cents per 1,000 gallons.

Bonaskiewich said LCA officials told her water customers can expect annual rate hikes tied to the Consumer Price Index annually through 2032.